Origin and cultural context
This reliquary comes from the Kota people of Gabon, renowned for their guardian figures known as mbulu-ngulu. These objects were placed atop baskets or bundles containing the bones of ancestors, serving to protect their spirit and ensure the clan’s blessings. The double-faced model is particularly rare, reflecting an enhanced spiritual significance.
Piece features
Crafted from wood and covered with fine brass and copper sheets, this reliquary displays two distinct faces:
Front: a stylized face with geometric features and circular eyes, adorned with delicate engravings and symbolic motifs.
Back: a more expressive wooden face, with traditional scarifications and a decorated forehead.
The diamond-shaped base is typical of Kota reliquaries, providing both stability and visual harmony.
Cultural significance
Kota reliquaries were far more than works of art: they embodied the presence of the ancestors, their protective power, and their role as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds. The double face may symbolize vigilance in two directions, the duality of the visible and invisible, or the safeguarding of the clan across all realms.
Provenance
Private collection ZAMBELLI/BRUGNACCHI, assembled between 1990 and 2023.
Transferred to the Spirit Land of Africa gallery in 2023.
850.00 €
